Display sign



n 25. 1 40. H. 'G. SULLNAN 2,205,937

DISPLAY SIGN Filed Nov. 4, 1938 Qu ll!!! Patented June 25, 1940 UNITEDSTATES This invention relates to improvements in display signs; and moreparticularly, to that class which utilize colors to attract attention.

Blinker signs, which come on and off at regular intervals, arewell'know'n'; and illuminated perforated signs likewise are used; but inmy inventioh, the various color combinations gradually fade out and intoa new combination so that a very unusual display isobtained, and at thesame time, permits word formations at definite intervals. The use of aperforated bar extending across a part of the face of the display, theperforations forming an advertising medium, provides continuousadvertising which'is supplemented by the appearance of the letters atpredetermined intervals;

The principal object of my invention resides in providing" a sign intheform of a disc on which is mounted a plurality of smaller discs ofvarying color being rotatable through a common medium so as to present astartling and unusual color display, the colors combining in' such amanner as to gradually change from one combination to another, theresult being entirely different from what would normally be expectedthrough the rotation of the discs.

Another object is to provide an advertising medium wherein at definiteintervals words or letters will appear, so that they are discernible,after which they will gradually fade, various color combinations beingvisible which serve to attract attention.

Still another objectis to provide a rotating advertising sign in whichthe blending of color due to the rotation of the discs provides unusualcolor combinations which will vary with the speed at which the discs arerotated.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation;

Figure 2 is a top plan;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a front elevation with the advertising panel removed.

Referring to the drawing, in which parts are designated by likenumerals:

5 Numeral 5 designates a sign box on which is rotatably mounted a disc6, having its face preferably colored with a neutral color such asaluminum or silver.

Mounted on the face of the disc 6 are four 55 discs 1, 8, 9 and I9, eachof which is divided into similar DISPLAY SIGN Harry G. Sullivan, DeLand, Fla.

' Zipplicatio'n November 4, 1938, Serial No. 238,870

I 1 Claim. (01. 40-34) PATENT OFFICE if three equal segments containingthefprimary colors red, blue andyellow, designated R, B and Y. The outeredges of the'di'scs I, 8, 9' and) have,gear teeth II in contact with apinion gear'l2 freely mounted on a shaft 13 on which 5 is freely mountedthe disc 6 and a. collar said shaft l3 being supported by a standard I5.The discs 1,8,9 and it! are spaced from'the disc 6 by bearings l1 andfreely rotatable onstud members IS. A platform l9 supports the starid-10 am 15 andan electric motor 29. over the collar l4 and the pulley 22'of the motor29. U v Extendingacross the face of the sign 5 i s aperforated'strip 29, the perforations forming the l5 word Drink in theillustration shown in'Figure 1. On the corresponding segment of eachdisc I, '8, 9 and I9 is placed a letter which could be a word ifdesired. In the illustration shown in Figure 1 the letters M I L and Kappear, the let- 20 ters being arranged in clockwise direction so as tospell Milk.

As actually used, the motor 20 will revolve the collar l4, thus turningthe disc 6 and in turn the discs I, 8, 9 and I0 since they are carriedby the disc 6. The movement of the disc 6 will set in motion a secondmovement consisting in the rotation of discs 1, 8, 9 and H], whichareintergeared with the pinion l2, which in turn is loosely mounted onthe shaft l3. The revolving of the discs I, 8, 9 and I0 is at a slowerspeed than that of the disc 6 since it is partly due to the momentumcreated by the revolving disc 6, and results in a. most peculiar andunexpected color effect. The colors on the discs 1, 8, 9 and It] willgradually blend and fade out into other color effects so that constantlychanging colors are presented. The placing of the letters in the samecolor segment on each disc I, 8, 9 and I9 will result in those lettersappearing simultaneously so that they can be read, and then graduallyfading out and merging with the general color combination. Periodicallythey will reappear becoming more distinct until they are clearlydiscernible.

By having the perforated strip 23 extending across the face of the sign,a permanent form of advertising is obtained which is emphasized by thecolor combination behind the same, and which may be seen through theperforations forming the advertising media. As illustrated in Figure 1,the word Drink is formed in the strip 23 and the letters M I L and K, onthe discs I, 8, 9 and I0. Thus periodically these letters will appear soas to be read in association with the word Drink. Obviously otherletters could be placed Abelt 2l'pass es on the other segments so as tobring up different words in association with the word Drink or someother permanent word.

Although I have for illustration purposes shown single letters on thesegments of the discs 1, 8, 9 and I0, words may be substituted for theletters and the same is true of the other segments so long ascorresponding color segments are used to form desired words orsentences.

It is likewise obvious that the segments may vary in number and may besub-divided with other colors used, it only being essential that thesame positioning relation be maintained.

It is essential that the color segments be arranged in identicalrelation to the pinion l2. This positioning of the color discs isillustrated in Figures 1 and 4 where the centers of the blue segments Bare all directly in line with the pinion l2 and the positioning of thered segments R is identical each to the other in relation to the pinionl2, and the same is true of the yellow segments Y. Thus at all times,the same color segments will bear synchronized relation to each otherwhile the disc 6 is rotating, resulting in the production of definiteand periodic cycles of like color changes passing from pure primarycolors of red, blue and yellow, through various blends. When the primarycolors are apparent, the letters or words on those segments will beapparent. It is to be noted that only one primary color will be apparentat the same time, and as it fades, it blends into another primary color,the letters on the segment carrying the primary color fading, and as anew primary color appears, the letter on that particular segment willbecome visible, so that there is a constant change from the primarycolor to a blend, with another primary color, which finally results inthe second primary color predominating until it blends with the nextprimary color, and so the operation continues.

Numerous variations may doubtless be devised by persons skilled in theart without departing from the principles of my invention. I, therefore,desire no limitations to be imposed on my invention, except such as areindicated in the appended claim.

WhatI claim is:

An advertising display comprising a rotatable base member of a neutralcolor, a plurality of discs freely rotatable on said base member, eachof said discs divided into corresponding color segments and each dischaving different colors in each segment, advertising indicia on eachsegment of the same corresponding color, a shaft extending through thebase member, said base member being freely rotatable on said shaft, eachdisc so arranged that the corresponding color segment is in the samerelation to the color segment on the other discs, a perforated stripextending across the face of the base member and secured to the display,said strip being perforated in the form of advertising indicia, meansfor engaging each disc to cause the same to rotate in positive relationto each other, means for positively rotating said base member, therotation of said base member setting in motion the discs carried therebyand at a slower speed than said base member resulting in definite colorsand advertising indicia, said advertising indicia appearing on the colorsegments cooperating with the advertising indicia appearing on the stripto give information.

HARRY G. SULLIVAN.

